Q & A with Ify Ossai

Ify came off the bench in all 25 games last season but has started all 15 games in her senior season. She is averaging 27 minutes per game and contributing 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Tell us a little bit about your background, where you are from, what your major is and how you came to the Ivy League.

My name is Ifeyinwa Jayne Ossai (my name is Nigerian, both of my parents are from Nigeria) -- most people call me Ify and I am from Dallas, Texas. My major is Urban and Regional Studies, and I came to the Ivy League because I wanted to go somewhere where I could play basketball, but, at the same time, land a great job or advance to a highly regarded graduate institution. I have always wanted to come to Cornell. I believe that one day I was watching TV, and I saw a famous justice that studied at Cornell. I have wanted to be a Supreme Court Justice since I was little, so I knew from that moment that Cornell would be the place for me. My mother surprised me with a ticket to go to a Cornell Summer Basketball Camp in high school, I introduced myself to the coaches when I arrived, and it has been history ever since.

Was there a time when you thought, "Hey, I could go to an Ivy League school" or was that always in your mind?

I think that my mother always instilled confidence in me that I could do anything I set my mind to, so I believe that when I set my eye on the Ivy League I knew that I could do it (maybe a little skeptical when I got my SAT's back, just kidding, hahaha).

What perceptions did you have about the Ivy League when you first arrived?

I didn't really have that many perceptions about the Ivy League, being from a place like Texas, where most people would have liked to see me go to UT Austin or Rice rather than so far away from home. However, I did have the notion that the students would be extremely intelligent, and probably way above my level, while the classes would be so hard that it could be almost impossible to survive!!

How have those perceptions met with reality?

Well, the classes can be very difficult, but I have survived thus far. In terms, of the kind of student that I expected, there are many genius-types at Cornell, but across the board, the students at Cornell are just like me, working hard everyday to learn the curriculum and succeed at what they would eventually like to do in life.

What about going to an Ivy League school most appealed to you?

Once again, the fact that I was able to play a sport at a competitive level, while still being able to keep my dream of becoming a Supreme Court Justice and succeeding beyond the basketball court.

As an African-American, what experiences have stood out to you about adjusting to college in the Ivy League?

As an African-American in the Ivy League, you face a lot of challenges in terms of finding people that look like you and have gone through the same situations that you have had in life. There are many people here who have been privileged their entire life, never experiencing discrimination or financial hardships. But at the same time, I have had the opportunity to meet African American students and other students of color, who have succeeded at Cornell and other Ivy League institutions which gave others like me and myself that hope that we could make it through.

Since you've been in college, what have been some of the most memorable moments for you as an athlete and a student?

As an athlete and a student, my most memorable moment would have to be the growth that I have witnessed in the Cornell women's basketball program and the strides that we all have made to make the program a force to be reckoned with.

What historical figure do you admire most and why?

The historical figure that I admire most would have to be Martin Luther King, Jr. Not only did MLK, Jr. fight for the rights of African-Americans, he also worked to make sure that this nation could one day be a place where your mind, rather than your color, makes the person.

Who had the biggest influence on you as you grew up? Why?

My biggest influence as I grew up would have to be my mother. My mother has sacrificed so much in order for my sister and I to succeed in life so that in the future our family will not have to struggle financially or emotionally the way that we have for so many years. I owe everything to my mother and one day I hope that I can be as strong, compassionate, and caring as she has been throughout my life.

In an age of ultra-glorification of athletes and sports, what would be the best advice you could give to a middle schooler about the value of education, and the best role for sports in their education?

Always remember that no matter what, you family and the Lord are first and foremost in your life!!! In terms of sports, make them always fun and enjoyable, but do not let it take away from your education because, in the end, your education will get you the farthest in life.

What would be the best advice you could give to a young African-American who has aspirations to attend an Ivy institution?

The best advice that I could give to a young African-American that is interested in attending an Ivy League institution is to focus on specific and realistic goals in anything that you do because if you have specific and realistic goals mixed with a great work ethic, it will be easy to attain your dream!!!

***Please note, this story was written for a previous Ivy League Black History Month celebration. It is reproduced here for archival purposes and has not been updated.***